


*hacker voice* you're in

by twahtohnedskee



Series: DPS Tumblr fics [2]
Category: Dead Poets Society (1989)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 20:43:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15178946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twahtohnedskee/pseuds/twahtohnedskee
Summary: Tumblr prompt: can you write the conversation in which Neil asks everyone else whether Todd can join the dead poets society even if he doesn't want to read?





	*hacker voice* you're in

“I’ll be right back.”

Neil could hear Todd’s protestations as he made his way to the other table but he elected to ignore them. He slid into the seat next to Charlie.

“Guys, Todd wants in,” he said without preamble. 

“Anderson? Isn’t he kind of a stick in the mud?”

“Like you’re one to talk, Cameron,” Charlie told the red-headed boy. 

“Hey!”

“Why not?” Meeks said. “He’s an alright guy.”

“A little quiet,” Pitts offered. It wasn’t untrue. Even though he was frequently with the rest of them, Neil had the distinct impression that Todd didn’t feel like one of them just yet. He hoped that this would be a good way to change that. 

“Nah, he’s just warming up to us, is all.”

“I was under the impression he was already in.” Knox said with a shrug. Pitts and Meeks nodded, sharing his sentiments.

Neil smiled. He felt a rush of warmth at the fact that the rest of them were starting to count Todd as part of their little rabble of friends too. He’d reevaluate why that meant so much to him at another time.

“So you guys are cool with letting him in?” he asked insistently. 

There were nods all around. Neil would have wanted a more enthusiastic response but they did all agree.

He sucked in a breath. Now the hard part.

“Okay, but he doesn’t want to read.”

“Why? Is he mute?” Charlie asked with his ever-present smirk.

A few of the boys laughed. Neil elbowed Charlie in the ribs.

“Quit it, Dalton. That’s his business.”

“Isn’t that against the rules though?” Cameron pointed out, frowning. 

“It’s the dead poets society.” Charlie said, enunciating every syllable as if Neil was a child he was explaining something to. “What’s he gonna do, sit there and stare at your pretty face?”

“I said quit it, Charlie.” Neil hissed as the other’s laughed, drowning out another reprimand thrown at them from the front of the room. “How about the rest of you?”

There was silence at first. Then, Knox was the first to speak up.

“I’m okay with it,” he said with a smile, “ I like him, he might surprise us.”

Thank god for Knox’s soft heart. Neil grinned at him and, reaching behind Charlie, clapped him on the shoulder in thanks. After that it was as if a dam had broken and it was a lot easier to get the others to murmur their assent.

They voted on it.

(“Ugh, democracy.” Charlie said, rolling his eyes.)

In the end, no one voted in the negative.

Ever practical, Meeks said, “He’s still got to do something though. He could take down minutes.”

There was another round of soft agreement and that was that. Neil knew it wouldn’t be that hard.

“Great, I’ll let him know,” he said, rising to leave.

“Hey, Neil,” Charlie called before he could leave, “We like this one. Don’t scare him away.”

Neil made a face. “Yeah, yeah.”

Before he could get to Todd again, they were being herded out to get to their next classes. The rest of the afternoon was a blur. All Neil could think about was the meeting later that night. It was the first time since coming back to Hellton that he felt like he was actually doing something with his life. He fed off the feeling like an addiction. It kept him buoyed all throughout the day. He managed to catch Todd right before curfew, not having the patience to wait until they were in their room to tell him the news. 

“You’re in.”

**Author's Note:**

> this didn't have a title when i posted it and it's 3 am i can't be bothered to give it a decent one


End file.
